Saint Andrew's Orthodox Church

The Great Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos

From the OCA Website:
A Sermon by St. John of Kronstadt

“Magnify O my soul, the honorable Translation of the Mother of God from earth to heaven.” (Refrain for the 9th Ode of the Canon)

Let us be happy, beloved brothers and sisters that we belong to the Holy Orthodox Church, worthily and rightly glorifying the Most Holy Sovereign Theotokos on this eminent day out of all the days of the year with special solemnity. There exists on earth many societies and entire governments that do not consider the need nor the obligation to call upon and glorify the Queen of heaven and earth, the Mother of Our Divine Lord Jesus Christ, and other saints and angels; to submissively serve Her lovingly, as the true Mother of God. Sadly in Russia nowadays we have heretics (among us) who actively dishonor the Mother of God, the saints, their icons, their relics and their festivals. O, if only they also unanimously with us glorified the worthy Queen of heaven and earth! Continue reading The Great Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos

Memory Eternal: Deacon John Protopapas

This morning, we received the sad news that the Deacon John Protopapas reposed in the Lord around 5:00 AM. We received this sad news from Fr. Jonathan Ivanoff, rector of St. John the Theologian Church in Shirley, where Fr John was attached and ministered for many years as a subdeacon and deacon.

We remember that Fr John and his family were very involved in the creation of our parish. Before being ordained to the Diaconate, John served as a leader in our community in many ways, not the least of which was as head of the building committee, during which time he led the design and construction of our present temple.

Funeral arrangements are as follows:

Wake: Tuesday, 2-4 PM, at Jacobsen Funeral Home.
1380 New York Avenue, Huntington Station, NY 11746
Wake: Tuesday, 7-9 PM, at St. Andrew’s Church.
A Memorial Service (Panikhida) will be served at 8 PM.
Funeral: Wednesday, 11 AM, at St. Andrew’s Church
celebrated by His Grace Bishop Michael with local clergy.

May the memory of the servant of God, the Deacon John, be eternal!

Holy Pentecost: The Feast of the Holy Trinity

In the Church’s annual liturgical cycle, Pentecost is “the last and great day.” It is the celebration by the Church of the coming of the Holy Spirit as the end – the achievement and fulfillment – of the entire history of salvation. For the same reason, however, it is also the celebration of the beginning: it is the “birthday” of the Church as the presence among us of the Holy Spirit, of the new life in Christ, of grace, knowledge, adoption to God and holiness.

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen! Pascha 2013

Dear friends,

Our parish has received so many blessings this year and we have so many, many reasons to be filled with joy. Our greatest joy, however, is when we can gather together, all of us, as a family for the celebration of Our Lord’s Resurrection from the dead. We thank you sincerely for being with us and making that joy complete. And tonight we wish you a bright, holy, and blessed Pascha.

St. Vladimir’s Octet Visits Dix Hills

On March 31, 2013, the St. Vladimir Seminary Choir Octet visited the parish of St. Andrew’s in Dix Hills, NY, for a parish visit, and to participate in the NYC Deanery’s Lenten Mission Vespers that evening. It was an overwhelming day of joy, prayer, and beauty as the choir ministered to the parish, revealing the true glory and essence of Orthodox hymnody.